Prefer 5 GHz networks over 2.4 GHz networks

In scan.c, merge a channel's noise value into the scan results. When
comparing scan results, compute the signal-to-noise ratio and use it
when available. Prefer a 5 GHz network if its SNR is really big (> 30)
or if its SNR is relatively close to the other network's.

src/drivers/driver_nl80211.c

@@ -1413,6 +1413,80 @@ static int nl80211_get_link_noise(struct wpa_driver_nl80211_data *drv,
 }
 
 
+static int get_noise_for_scan_results(struct nl_msg *msg, void *arg)
+{
+	struct nlattr *tb[NL80211_ATTR_MAX + 1];
+	struct genlmsghdr *gnlh = nlmsg_data(nlmsg_hdr(msg));
+	struct nlattr *sinfo[NL80211_SURVEY_INFO_MAX + 1];
+	static struct nla_policy survey_policy[NL80211_SURVEY_INFO_MAX + 1] = {
+		[NL80211_SURVEY_INFO_FREQUENCY] = { .type = NLA_U32 },
+		[NL80211_SURVEY_INFO_NOISE] = { .type = NLA_U8 },
+	};
+	struct wpa_scan_results *scan_results = arg;
+	struct wpa_scan_res *scan_res;
+	size_t i;
+
+	nla_parse(tb, NL80211_ATTR_MAX, genlmsg_attrdata(gnlh, 0),
+		  genlmsg_attrlen(gnlh, 0), NULL);
+
+	if (!tb[NL80211_ATTR_SURVEY_INFO]) {
+		wpa_printf(MSG_DEBUG, "nl80211: Survey data missing");
+		return NL_SKIP;
+	}
+
+	if (nla_parse_nested(sinfo, NL80211_SURVEY_INFO_MAX,
+			     tb[NL80211_ATTR_SURVEY_INFO],
+			     survey_policy)) {
+		wpa_printf(MSG_DEBUG, "nl80211: Failed to parse nested "
+			   "attributes");
+		return NL_SKIP;
+	}
+
+	if (!sinfo[NL80211_SURVEY_INFO_NOISE])
+		return NL_SKIP;
+
+	if (!sinfo[NL80211_SURVEY_INFO_FREQUENCY])
+		return NL_SKIP;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < scan_results->num; ++i) {
+		scan_res = scan_results->res[i];
+		if (!scan_res)
+			continue;
+		if ((int) nla_get_u32(sinfo[NL80211_SURVEY_INFO_FREQUENCY]) !=
+		    scan_res->freq)
+			continue;
+		if (!(scan_res->flags & WPA_SCAN_NOISE_INVALID))
+			continue;
+		scan_res->noise = (s8)
+			nla_get_u8(sinfo[NL80211_SURVEY_INFO_NOISE]);
+		scan_res->flags &= ~WPA_SCAN_NOISE_INVALID;
+	}
+
+	return NL_SKIP;
+}
+
+
+static int nl80211_get_noise_for_scan_results(
+	struct wpa_driver_nl80211_data *drv,
+	struct wpa_scan_results *scan_res)
+{
+	struct nl_msg *msg;
+
+	msg = nlmsg_alloc();
+	if (!msg)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+
+	nl80211_cmd(drv, msg, NLM_F_DUMP, NL80211_CMD_GET_SURVEY);
+
+	NLA_PUT_U32(msg, NL80211_ATTR_IFINDEX, drv->ifindex);
+
+	return send_and_recv_msgs(drv, msg, get_noise_for_scan_results,
+				  scan_res);
+ nla_put_failure:
+	return -ENOBUFS;
+}
+
+
 static void nl80211_cqm_event(struct wpa_driver_nl80211_data *drv,
 			      struct nlattr *tb[])
 {
@@ -3129,8 +3203,9 @@ nl80211_get_scan_results(struct wpa_driver_nl80211_data *drv)
 	ret = send_and_recv_msgs(drv, msg, bss_info_handler, &arg);
 	msg = NULL;
 	if (ret == 0) {
-		wpa_printf(MSG_DEBUG, "Received scan results (%lu BSSes)",
+		wpa_printf(MSG_DEBUG, "nl80211: Received scan results (%lu "
-			   (unsigned long) res->num);
+			   "BSSes)", (unsigned long) res->num);
+		nl80211_get_noise_for_scan_results(drv, res);
 		return res;
 	}
 	wpa_printf(MSG_DEBUG, "nl80211: Scan result fetch failed: ret=%d "

wpa_supplicant/scan.c

@@ -985,15 +985,28 @@ struct wpabuf * wpa_scan_get_vendor_ie_multi_beacon(
 }
 
 
+/*
+ * Channels with a great SNR can operate at full rate. What is a great SNR?
+ * This doc https://supportforums.cisco.com/docs/DOC-12954 says, "the general
+ * rule of thumb is that any SNR above 20 is good." This one
+ * http://www.cisco.com/en/US/tech/tk722/tk809/technologies_q_and_a_item09186a00805e9a96.shtml#qa23
+ * recommends 25 as a minimum SNR for 54 Mbps data rate. 30 is chosen here as a
+ * conservative value.
+ */
+#define GREAT_SNR 30
+
 /* Compare function for sorting scan results. Return >0 if @b is considered
  * better. */
 static int wpa_scan_result_compar(const void *a, const void *b)
 {
+#define IS_5GHZ(n) (n > 4000)
+#define MIN(a,b) a < b ? a : b
 	struct wpa_scan_res **_wa = (void *) a;
 	struct wpa_scan_res **_wb = (void *) b;
 	struct wpa_scan_res *wa = *_wa;
 	struct wpa_scan_res *wb = *_wb;
 	int wpa_a, wpa_b, maxrate_a, maxrate_b;
+	int snr_a, snr_b;
 
 	/* WPA/WPA2 support preferred */
 	wpa_a = wpa_scan_get_vendor_ie(wa, WPA_IE_VENDOR_TYPE) != NULL ||
@@ -1014,23 +1027,46 @@ static int wpa_scan_result_compar(const void *a, const void *b)
 	    (wb->caps & IEEE80211_CAP_PRIVACY) == 0)
 		return -1;
 
-	/* best/max rate preferred if signal level close enough XXX */
+	if ((wa->flags & wb->flags & WPA_SCAN_LEVEL_DBM) &&
-	if ((wa->level && wb->level && abs(wb->level - wa->level) < 5) ||
+	    !((wa->flags | wb->flags) & WPA_SCAN_NOISE_INVALID)) {
+		snr_a = MIN(wa->level - wa->noise, GREAT_SNR);
+		snr_b = MIN(wb->level - wb->noise, GREAT_SNR);
+	} else {
+		/* Not suitable information to calculate SNR, so use level */
+		snr_a = wa->level;
+		snr_b = wb->level;
+	}
+
+	wpa_printf(MSG_EXCESSIVE, "BSS(a) " MACSTR " freq:%d level:%d "
+		   "noise:%d snr:%d flags:0x%x",
+		   MAC2STR(wa->bssid), wa->freq, wa->level, wa->noise, snr_a,
+		   wa->flags);
+	wpa_printf(MSG_EXCESSIVE, "BSS(b) " MACSTR " freq:%d level:%d "
+		   "noise:%d snr:%d flags:0x%x",
+		   MAC2STR(wb->bssid), wb->freq, wb->level, wb->noise, snr_b,
+		   wb->flags);
+
+	/* best/max rate preferred if SNR close enough */
+        if ((snr_a && snr_b && abs(snr_b - snr_a) < 5) ||
 	    (wa->qual && wb->qual && abs(wb->qual - wa->qual) < 10)) {
 		maxrate_a = wpa_scan_get_max_rate(wa);
 		maxrate_b = wpa_scan_get_max_rate(wb);
 		if (maxrate_a != maxrate_b)
 			return maxrate_b - maxrate_a;
+		if (IS_5GHZ(wa->freq) ^ IS_5GHZ(wb->freq))
+			return IS_5GHZ(wa->freq) ? -1 : 1;
 	}
 
 	/* use freq for channel preference */
 
-	/* all things being equal, use signal level; if signal levels are
+	/* all things being equal, use SNR; if SNRs are
 	 * identical, use quality values since some drivers may only report
 	 * that value and leave the signal level zero */
-	if (wb->level == wa->level)
+	if (snr_b == snr_a)
 		return wb->qual - wa->qual;
-	return wb->level - wa->level;
+	return snr_b - snr_a;
+#undef MIN
+#undef IS_5GHZ
 }